1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to protective garments. More particularly, the present invention relates to multi-layer garments that protect the user against insects.
2. Discussion of Background
Biting insects have always presented a problem for gardeners, bee keepers, campers, hikers, hunters, fishermen, and others who spend time outdoors. Common, aggressive insects include gnats, chiggers, ticks, black flies, bees, wasps, and mosquitoes. Besides being annoying and painful, the stings of these insects often transmit viruses and diseases, such as yellow fever and malaria and can cause allergic reactions in particular individuals.
In response to this nuisance, many chemical insect repellents have been created. These repellents attempt to alter or mask the natural scent of an individual so as to make it an unattractive target. One problem associated with their use is that chemical repellents wear out over time and become ineffective when subjected to moisture, water, or perspiration. Consequently, these repellents must be reapplied frequently. Moreover, harsh chemicals contained within them often irritate the individual's eyes and skin.
Another solution advanced by the art to protect an individual against insects is the use of protective garments. Most of these garments are designed to create a distance between the individual's skin and the top surface of the garment, so that an insect's stinger or proboscis cannot reach the individual's skin. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,357,635 describes a beekeeper's suit that is comprised of an inside layer and an outside layer, both made of a net material. Positioned between the inside and outside layers is a cellular layer. The thickness of the cellular layer prohibits the insect's stinger from penetrating the skin of the individual.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,214,797 also discloses a garment using a foamed or cellular material in conjunction with a mesh layer. With this design, the foamed material is formed in strips and sewn into the underside of the mesh fabric. U.S.S.R. Patent Number 884,668 describes a protective shirt/jacket that is composed of two individual garments. The undershirt is made of a netted material having loops of polyamide thread between the columns of netted weaving. The overshirt is woven in a particular manner so that the polyamide loops form wedge-shaped cells between the undershirt and outershirt.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,152 teaches a garment made of a mesh material that protects the entire body. The jacket is fitted about the shoulder area with a yoke made of a heavy cotton material that adds additional protection. The technique of gathering is applied at the extremities of the jacket and about the perimeter of the yoke. This gathering creams a series of "puckers" or ridges in the mesh material, which serves to define a distance between the mesh and the individual's skin.
There remains a need for an insect protective garment which is lightweight, flexible, breathable, and maintains its protective nature despite vigorous activity by the wearer.